Offender punched a 14-year-old boy in the face

Herald Reporter

A teenager let his temper get the better of him on two separate occasions – smashing up his own home and later chasing and assaulting a 14-year-old boy.

Cameron O’Hanlon (19) appeared at Falkirk Sheriff Court last Thursday having admitted behaving in a threatening manner at his 38 Bulloch Crescent, Denny home on January 9. He also pled guilty to assaulting a 14-year-old boy in Falkirk High Street on February 14, 2016.

Procurator fiscal depute Graham McLachlan said: “It was 3.30pm and the accused was in his home address with his girlfriend at the time. An argument developed between the two of them and he told her to shut up.

“Neighbours could hear sounds of a disturbance and they contacted police. During the course of the argument the accused threw some items of furniture around.”

As for the assault, Mr McLachlan said: “It was 5.30pm and the complainer was standing at the entrance of a shopping mall. The accused approached and accused the complainer of an incident that happened earlier.

“He pushed the complainer on the body and told him he wanted to fight with him. The complainer tried to walk away, but the accused followed him and grabbed him by the arm and tried to punch him, but missed.

“The complainer then ran away and the accused chased after him and punched him once on the face before leaving. The matter was captured on CCTV and the accused was traced some time later.”

Michael Lowrie, defence solicitor, said, as far as the assault was concerned, O’Hanlon had been approached by a friend who told him the 14-year-old complainer had assaulted her.

As for the threatening behaviour at O’Hanlon’s home, Mr Lowrie said: “They had a number difficulties, but his girlfriend had no interest in calling the police. In fact she and Mr O’Hanlon were sitting down and eating food when police arrived.”

Sheriff Michael Fletcher placed O’Hanlon on a supervised community payback order for two years and called for a review of the order to take place on June 15.